Author Description

In the often swarming growth of the tropics, native plants tend toward flamboyance - in color, size, shape, and fragrance - in a competition to attract pollinators or capture available light. Like the pollinators, gardeners, too, are drawn to these plants, which can provide multiple delights in the home landscape for the senses of sight, touch, and smell. Designing, planting, and maintaining tropical plants is well within reach with experts from seven leading gardens to guide you. Here is what you'll find in the most complete and user-friendly handbook to tropical gardening ever devised: Plant Selector: Select from more than two hundred plants, with remarkably detailed information on how to grow them - including palms, orchids, ferns, gingers, helioconias, bromeliads, and vines - plus information on the latest cultivars. Garden Design: Turn a group of plants into a garden, with ideas on how to combine the brilliant colors and varied textures of tropical plants while providing the proper site and growing conditions for them. Emphasis is placed on using foliage plants and ground covers in addition to brilliant blossoms. Plus climate analysis...a brief lesson in botany...dozens of step-by-step instructional photographs...gardening for the disabled...using small spaces...overview of special conditions... basic and advanced gardening procedures...the newest plants on the market..".Viewpoints", where gardeners respond to frequently asked questions... more than three hundred full-color photographs...carefully verified source lists...sample site plans...and much more!